Morning journal and courier., 1887-10-10
REV. DIR. NEWMAN sMYTH

On the American Board Meeting In
Springfield Last Week-The Full
Text of His Discourse Delivered I'm
Center Church Yesterday Morning.
Genesis, 81, 23d-24th: 'And it came to
pass when Joseph was come unto his breth-
rem that they stripped Joseph of his coat,
the coat of many colors that was on him;
and they took him and cast him into the pit;
and the pit was empty; there was no water
in it."
Genesis, Al, 81: "And the seven years of
plenty that was in the land of Egypt came
to an end. And the seven years of famine
began to come, according as Joseph had said"
Genesis, 40, 1-2: "Now Jacob saw that
there was corn in Egypt, and Jacob said unto
his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?
| And he said, Behold, have heard that there
is corn in Egypti get you down thither and
buy for us from thence that we may live and
not die"
The applicability of the texts Just read to
| the subject upon which propose to speak !
shall leave to your discernment, with the sim
| gle remark that employ the first text as a
| convenient summary of what has just hap
pened to the American board, and that the
| use of the other texts may possibly be justi-
| fed by the courss of events in the future.
The love which we have always cherished for
| the American board, the Importance of the
| questions now agitating it to our Congrega-
| tional polity, If not to the unity of our
churches, and the worldwide consequences
| of its action both justify and demand a re-
view of the record which the board has Just
made at Springfield, however reluctant we
| may be to introduce into our pulpits this un-
fortunate and, as it has seemed to me from
the first, unnecessary controversy. l shall
endeavor to say at once what think needs
now to be said, and, whatever duties may be
laid upon me in other places of discussion, I
hall hnvo 70 Iv0r1 fha CTR hoy
of frequent allusion in the pulpit to matters
which for some time to come may continue
to be matters of controversy in our denomi-
nation.
proceed without further introduction to
speak of the record which was made at
Springfield and its meaning; of the princi-
Piles and policies which have come into COLI
sion; of the ground which has certainly been
gained for better settlement; and of the
hope which may reasonably be entertained
for the future. The numerical ma ority of a
religious corporation, however decisive for
the moment, is by no means the most signi6-
cant factor in the solution of an important
problem. We must look to the real forces
which were represented, and to the influences
which are working behind majorities or mi
norities, if we would estimate the significance
of any public action and understand the
trend of events. I am to speak first of the
record made by the board at its recent meet
ing.
There has been this year no ambiguity
about the action of the board. The majori-
ty may not have realized fully what they
were doing, but there can be no question of
the record which they have made and sealed
The deeds recorded are follows: First, a
caucus was held upon the morning of the
day upon which the board was to assemble
This was not conference more or less in
formal for mutual advice, but meeting of
voters for the purpose of determining the
policy of the board. Selected corporate
members received tickets of admission to it.
Second, in the report of the prudential com
mittee and in the discussion which followed
it there was an arraignment of our Congre
gational polity as insufficient and unequal to
the task of carrying on a great missionary
enterprise. This Indictment of Congrega
tionalism went even to the extent of the
voting down by the majority of an amend
ment offered by the minority which read as
follows: 'But this board does not discredit
the results of councils representing the
doctrinal judgments and fellowship of the
Congregational churches" The majority
voted that down. The board thereby Gays:
''We come as your agent to your churches
for your contributions, but we cannot trust
in matters of doctrine either you or your
ministers, for we disoredit the councils by
which they are ordained and your fellowship
is determined" When this vote of want of
confidence in Congregationalism was passed
could not help wishing for one hour of
Leonard Bacon.
Third, the board by the rejection of
minority report offered by Professor Fisher
declined to reafirm that it is not theo-
logical court, and rejected resolutions look
ing towards Cancellation and evangelical
comprehension. By the adoption OF
the majority report the board raised
theological opinion to the rank of a doc
trine, and affirm I'D its own authority to
IL II
and test for missionaries independently of
the doctrinal standards and ordaining coun-
oils of our Congregational churches.
Fourth, the board by It's ruling majority
rejected a resolution of Cancellation and
harmony which towards the close of the
debate of Thursday was offered by Presi-
dent Seelye The rejection of that resolu-
ton was SO significant of the purpose by
which the party of the administration were
actuated that will read it 1t was of
fered by President Seelye:
Resolved, That declining to give specific
instructions in respect of doctrinal ques-
tons, we hereby express our hope and con-
fdence that the prudential committee and
officers of this board will SO conduct its
affairs as to guard the soundness of faith
and efficiency of service of its missionaries,
and to keep the unity of the churches whose
agents We are.
That resolution the board refused to sub
stitute for the theological resolution which
had been previously determined upon in eau
Gus.
Fifth. During the course of the debate
upcl the main question, and before vote
had been reached, the report of the nomina-
ting committee upon new corporate members
was received; a list of thirteen was presented
to fill vacancies some of them occasioned by
the death of men eminent, Hberal-minded
and honest, like Mark Hopkins and Alpheus
Hardy, and these thirteen new members were
understood to be on the side of the MAORI
ty. One well known clergyman was nomi-
mated from the platform by the minority and
elected. Then before the vote upon the
pending question had been taken these men
whom the majority had created as voters
during the course of the debate were invited
to come upon the platform and vote upon
the question. I am still speaking of what
occurred at the meeting of the American
board
Sixth. Two reports upon officers were
laid before the board The minority were
willing to vote for all the present members
of the prudential committee, but only asked
that their number might be increased by one
in order that, as q representative of o con-
portion of tie constituency of the
board, the Rev. DIR. Mckenzie, whose name
is in all our churches, might have seat
for enc representative of its principles which
the minority made was promptly voted down
by the ruling party of the board.
Seventh. The officers nominated by the
majority were elected.
Eighth. OF the debate of that dayI will
only say that at my request the speech of
the Rev. DIR. George L. Walker was re-
printed in yesterday mornings JOURNAL, and
that speech-just, generous, true-I hope
may be read by all who gratefully remember
his ministry in this pulpit.
1t was supposed that the action already de-
scribed would end the chapter. But two more
acts yet remained.
Ninth. In the evening the>Rev. DR.. Storrs
was int1oduc ed and proceeded to give reasons
why he could not at present accept the honor
conferred upon him by the majority, referring
to the division of the board, and intimating
that he had been thinking that possibly some
thing might be done to heal it. How far the
party by whom DIR. Storrs had been elected
were ready to heed the suggestion thus thrown
out to them may appear from what follows.
Tenth. A motion for a committee
Of investigation was offered upon Friday
by DR.. Plumb, a member of the pru-
Dental committee. The minority were ready